Plantar Fasciitis: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

Plantar fasciitis is a disorder that is caused by an inflammation of the plantar fascia which is the area on the bottom of the foot to the heel, and which results in heel pain. It is mostly experienced in the morning as a stabbing sensation in the foot which decreases as you move.

Causes of plantar fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis happens when the plantar fascia develops frequent tears caused by too much stress and tension, which will then lead to irritation and inflammation. Plantar fasciitis is most common among runners, athletes, and overweight individuals who put too much stress on their heels.

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Symptoms of plantar fasciitis

The most common symptom of plantar fasciitis is a stabbing sensation on the bottom of the foot near the heel which makes walking and exercising painful. It is often experienced after waking up, and may also be experienced after a long period of standing and sitting.

Treatments for plantar fasciitis

Before treating plantar fasciitis, your doctor will first need to properly diagnose plantar fasciitis through a series of tests such as a physical examination, x-ray tests, and magnetic resonance imaging tests.

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According to mayoclinic.org, treatments for plantar fasciitis varies depending on the severity of the condition. Most people can recover from plantar fasciitis through rest, icing the area, and stretching for several months. However, in some cases, further treatments need to be done especially if there is still no improvement after several months.

Some of the treatments doctors may recommend include pain relief injections, extracorporeal shock therapy, Tenex procedure, and surgery.

What a plantar fasciitis orthopedic surgeon does during surgery

A surgical procedure is only done when all treatments for plantar fasciitis fails to improve the condition of the patient. In this case, a plantar fasciitis orthopedic surgeon will remove the plantar fascia from the heel bone to relieve severe pain from the foot. However, this surgery often leads to weakening of the arch in the foot.

How to reduce the pain of plantar fasciitis

To reduce pain in the foot caused by plantar fasciitis, you should maintain a healthy weight, replace high heel shoes for plantar fasciitis sneakers and plantar fasciitis slippers, apply ice to the painful area, and stretch your arches regularly.